Loading mechanism for beets and the like



Augs, 1929.-

HA. WATKINS ET AL LOADING MECHANISM FOR BEETS AND THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet MMNVENTORS.

ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1929. H. A. WATKINS ET AL LOADING MECHANISM FOR BEETS AND THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet yVVENTORS Alli? 5, 1929- H. A. WATKINS ET AL 1,723,591

LOADING MECHANISM FOR BEETS AND THE LIKE Filed July 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 x 1 ,':i "f"- I A; I to 3 K I n w 3 i a a g Y 3 IINVENTORS.

44%, ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. \VATKINS AND JOHN G. ASKWIG, OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

LOADING MECHANISM FOR BEET$ AND THE LIKE.

Application fi1ed Ju1y 29, 1925. Serial No. 46,759.

Our invention relates to loading mechanism including endless conveyor and co-acting gatherer, adapted to gather and lift'from a pile beets and the like, and convey the same to a wagon or other vehicle to be loaded therewith. An object of the invention to provide a new and improved combination of gathering, lifting and conveying mechanism of the class described.

A. further object is to provide an improved construction oi? litter and conveyor oil the class described.

\Vith these and other objects in view, as will, more fully hereinafter appear, our invention comprises certain novel. constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, as will now be described. and. claimed and as ilhistrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference :indicate eorrespoiuling parts throughout, and in which,

li igure I: a plan of the coi'iveyor.

Figure II is a side elevation of the con v'eyor and gatherer.

.liig'ure III .is a section of line A A of Fig. II.

Figure IV is a detail of a portion oi the ad juslment and take-up on line .BB of Fig. II.

Figure V is a plan of the gatl'ierer and its operating mechanism.

Figure VI a section of the conveyor taken on line CC oi. Fig. I.

Figure VII is a detail of the tripping mechanism.

This invention is primarily designed to meet the dil'liculties encountered (in taking sugar boots from piles with the minimum ot damage to the beets and leading them into COTIVQytlIICQS. In )ractice, as the beets are harve. ed they are transported by wagon or truck to a point adjacent to the nearest railroad point, or beet dump, and they are dumped into large flat topped piles averaging approximately eight feet in height. hen the time arrives for transporting the beets to the sugar :tactory, they must be taken from these piles, loaded into Wagons or trucks and driven over the beet dump, where they are dumped into the railroad cars. Efficient means are needed. to accon'iplish the taking ot the beets trom the pile and conveying them to the transportation vehicle (usually wagon or truck as above stated). The present invention is designed to fill this need.

For this purpose there i provided, mounted on I, beams A and B, as by bolts A through holes A solid sideboard l and sideboard 2, which is preferably partly open as indicated at 2 and 2" to allow ready access to the interior working parts. Between these sideboards is mounted an endless chain conveyor having chains 3 and t, carrying standard attachment links 5, in which are journalcd, as at (3, shatts 7, carrying tines 8. This endless conveyor travels over a floor or pan 9, extending the length of the conveyor on its top or carrying side. The conveyor may be Sl'l} )1)(l|.'il0tl in any suitable manner, but preterably by a rod or shaft (not shown) insorted thri'mgh the holes 10, in cars 11, which rod or shaft is pl'eiteral'ily carried by a tractor employed for mo ving; the conveyor. The conveyor may be rocked on the rod or shaft to any inclination desired, thus permit-ting easy regulation or :ttljllStll'lClit ot the height of the :lorward end (it the mechanism at which the gathering and lifting operations take place.

.lrlecause of this rocking mounting, the forward end of the conveyor may be allowed to rest on the groundand as it is moved forward or back it Will automatically adjust itself" to an variations in the surface of the ground.

the s'rock at. to eh i. 4.21". she n nd p (s 1 an It u,a will be described. The sprockets for chain 3 are respectively duplicates ot those here described for chain 4, and, accordingly, are not shown or separately described.

On shaft 12, revolubly mounted in sideboards 1 and .3, and operated trom any suitable source of power, not shown, sprocket 13 is fixedly mounted for (u'ierating chain :t when shatt i2 is revolved. The chain also passes around guide sprockets l4 and 15, as Well as adjusting sproclmt 16 mounted on shaft 17, which sha'lt is mounted in any standard. take-up or adj]istn'lent mechanism. a standard form being illustrated in Fig. 11: and partially in detailin Fig. IV, tor taking up slack in the chain. 'llhis mechanism has a runway, 18, Within which member 15.) is slidably mounted, and in which shaft 17 is revolubly mounted, horizontal movement being permitted by slot 20 in the sideboard. Slide member 19 is adjusted to and held at the desired point in track 18 by means oil a threaded rod 21, and nut 22, mounted in a retainin box, 23.

Shafts 7 carry arms 24 affixed thereto, and two guides, 25. and 26, (these being preferably rollers) are provided being respectively on the end of shaft 7 and at the end of arm 24. WVhen traveling upward over pan 9 the guide 25 adjacent to attachment link 5 travels in track 27, formed by rails 28 and 29, while guide 26 travels in advance of guide 25 and in track 30, formed by rails 29' and 31. The tines 8 are thus held in position substantially perpendicular to pan 9 for carrying the beets thereover. A shield or apron 32 may be provided for keeping the beets away from the t'acks and guides just described. Opposite sprocket 13 the rails 29 and 31 are curved as shown at 29 and 31". and a recess 33 is formed in rail 31, at such distance from sprocket 13 that as the chain carries shaft 7 and guide 25 around sprocket 13 guide 26 will seat in recess 33 and be retained thereby until guide 25 has been carried over sprocket 13 and started on its downward course towards sprocket 14, whereupon in such downward course guide 26 follows guide 25'instead of preceding it as theretofore. Rail 29 is hooked, as at 29", thereby serving to keep guide 26 adjacent to rail 31 as it starts upon its downward course, thus keeping the tines 8 upright until the mechanism is tripped by the operation later described. The changes in the posit-ion of shaft 7, tines 8, arms 24 and guides 25 and 26, during the change from the upward course of travel into and during the downward course, are clearly indicated in dotted lines at Fig. VI.

In order to bring tines 8 into a forward pointing position, ready for the lifting operation later described, we provide a tripping mechanism shown in detail in Fig. VII, and partially shown in Fig. VI, and consisting of a dog 3 1, pivotally mounted as at 35 in the sideboards and having short and long arms 36 and 36, it being so positioned that short arm 36 will be engaged by guide 25 in its downward course, as clearly shown in Fig. VII. \Vhen this contact takes place the downward pressure of the guide 25 on short arm 36 throws long arm 36 into the position shown in Fig. VI, and also in dotted lines in Fig. VII, wherein the long arm 36 is inserted between guides 25 and 26, and beneath guide 26 so that when guide 26 continues in its downward course and comes in contact with arm 36 it will ride over the arm 36 and away from the rail 31, resulting in the revolution of shaft 7 and the dropping of tines 8 to a forward pointing position. The whole assembly including the shaft 7, tines 8, arms, and guides 24, 25 and 26 will assume the po sition shown at the bottom of Fig. VI with guide 26 traveling in advance of guide 25.

For directing the movement and controlling the position of guide 26 from sprocket 14 to sprocket 15, rail 37 is provided, and as the mechanism is tripped as above described the guide 26 falls on to the top of rail 37, and rolls therealong until it leaves the rail opposite sprocket 15, at forward end of the conveyor as hereinafter described.

The shaft 35 on which the dog is mounted extends through the sideboard 1, and. has arm 38 affixed to the outer end thereof. A, spring 33 is attached to the end of this armfor the purpose of normally drawing the arm 38 and the dog to the position shown in solid and dotted lines respectively at Fig. I I. thus normally keeping short arm 36 in position ready for engagement and operation by guide 25, in the manner above described.

Near the forward end of the conveyor, the bottom edge of the sideboards cut to a substanti ally horizontal line, as shown at the bottom of Figs. II and VI, and the rail 37 throughout its course approximately parallels the lower edge of the sideboards. As the guide 26 rolls onto the forward portion of. rail 37 which approximately parallels the horizontal lower edge of the sideboard, tines S are raised to a position a )proximating the horizontal as clearly shown at the bottom of Fig. VI. In this position as the chain carries forward the shaft. 7 and its assembly the tines 8 are projected forward of the sideboards and along the ground. The tines in this position tend to slightly dig into the ground, thus sliding under the beets and avoiding cutting or otherwise dan'laging them. As the guide 26 passes beyond the end, of rail 37, and toward the rail 31, it will normally drop slightly as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. VI, beeause of being deprived of the support o f rail 37. This dropping of the guide 26 would allow the tines to drop further into the ground but in practice the tines will slide along the ground and this dropping of guide 26 does not present any obstacle to the operation of the mechanism. In any event; the dropping is very slight because the chain is at all times carrying the assembly forward and in practice the guide 26 will move almost horizontally from the end of rail 37 across the open space until it contacts with rail 31, after which further dropping of guide 26 is prevented by the rail 31. At this point the tines 8 have been thrust forward. to substantially the maximum and are under and ready to lift the beets. The movement of the chain carries the shaft 7 around sprocket 15, and guide 26 is in contact with rail 31, and the relative cum-attire of the chain around sprocket 15 on the one hand and the rail 31 on the other causes the arm 24 to rise into a vertical position and thereafter to swing over to the position shown on the upper side of Fig. VI. This results in lifting the tines from the substantially horizontal position in which they are thrust under the beets, to the substantially vertical position in which they travel over the pan 9. and thus the beets under which the tines are thrust will be lifted from the ground and carried up over the pan 9, and deposited on the back ltltl I It) or top of the conveyor into any suitable'receptacle, including wagon or truck body, not shown.

The gathering mechanism which will now be described consists of hub 2-39 carrying tines 39 and revolubly mounted in the brace members 4:0 and l-l, projecting from the shleboard 1, and attacherl thereto by any suitable means, as for ii'istance by plate 4-2 and bolts 43. T he gatherer revolved from shaft 12 through bevelled gear 44, mounted on the end of shaft 12 and engaging bevelled gear for revolving shaft 46, revolubly mounted in journal limes 4.7 and 4:8, carried on the sideboard 1, the shaft il) being provided at its lower end with bevelled. gear l9, engaging bevel led. gear 50, fixedly mounted on the journal. of hub 35), which extends through the brace member 4-1. As the conveyor is moved. toward the pile of beets andthe gatherer is revolved, the tines 39 will move those beets which are in front thereof to the left andv on to the tines 8 which will lift the beets and convey them to the wagon or truck as herein above described. Should any of the tines 39 impale a beet the same will be removed. from the tine by a sui table device such as the curved fingers 5.1, The gatherer may likewise be called a divider bccause it divides the beets in the pile or opens a way .into the pile for the sideboard. 1. and its associated parts which, except for the gatherer or divider, would have to plow into the pile doing damage to the beets.

This construction and arrangement is designed. to begin opcrath'ins at the left edge of a pile of beets and to work into the pile fron'i that side. In such an operation no gathering device is required on the left of the conveyor as the beets in the pile are always at the front and right of the conveyor.

It has been found that satisfactory results are obtained with a machine constructed according to the details here shown and described, and such details may be followed, but it is obvious tl'iat much of the present disclosure is illustrative only, and that within the scope of the invention as claimed HIUTIO'IF- ous changes may be made.

\Vhile the present invention and the operalieu thereof have been described as used in the lifting and loading of sugar beets,it will be obvious that the invention can be used with like advantageous results for liftin and conveying root vegetables of various kinds and, in fact, any similar articles to be lifted from the ground.

Ive claim 1. In a loading mechanism. for vegetables, an endless conveyor carrying tines adapted to be projected under the vegetables for lifting the same, a rotary gatherer having tines for moving the vegiuzables laterally onto the lifting tines and. means for automatically sliding from the tines of the gatherer any vegetables impaled thereon.

2. In a loailiing mechanism an endless conveyor including a chain carrying shaft mountings on its outer side, tine carrying shafts revoluble in said mountings, arms each being mounted in the shafts at one. end and having a shoe on its other end, said arms and tines being in fixed relative positions, means for causing said shoes to travel. above the lower reaches of the chain during the forward move- .ment for holding the tines below and. substantially parallel to said lower reaches of the chain during such forward movement and means for causing said shoes to travel above the upper reach of the chain during the rearward movement for holding the tines substantially perpemlicular to the upper reach of the chain during the rearward movement.

In a loading nuichanism an endless con veyor with. its forward end adapted to rest upon the ground. and including an endless chain, tine carrying shafts revolubly mountcdv on the chain, means without the chain for holding the shafts against revolution during the forward movement thereof, said. holding means terminating near the forward extren'iity of the chain. for permitting the shaft, approaching sa] d extremity, to revolve in its mountings and permit the tines [her-coil: to rest upon and slide forward along the ground as the shaft is carried forward by the chain and. means without the chain for preventing further revolution of the shaft and for causing the tines to r' :e from the ground when the shaft reaches said extremity.

4-. In a. loading mechanism an endless conveyor adapted to rest on. the ground at its forward end and including an endless chain, tine carrying shafts revolubly mounted. upon the outer side of the chain, shaft retaining means without the chain for holding the tines in predetermined position. relative to the chain durin the fen-ward movement thereof, means for releasing the shaft to freely revolve in its moimtings for permitting the tines to drop to and rest upon. the ground as the shaft approaches the forward. extremity of the chain, whereby the tines will slide forward along the ground. as their carrying shaft is carried forward by the chain to its forward extremity and means without the chain for thereupon and. thereafter prevent-in g further revolution of the shaft and for maintaining the tines in position substantially perpemlicular to the chain.

5. In a loading mechanism an endless eonveyor adapted to rest upon the ground at its for and end and inchuling an endless chain, tine carrying sh af s revolubly carried by the chain, a track, an arm and shoe carried by each shaft for engaging the track for holding the shaft agaii'ist revolution and. the tines substantially parallel to the chain during forward movement, said track terminating near the forward extremity of the conveyor to release the shaftas it approaches said extremity and permit the tines to drop to and slide along the ground during the remainder of'the forward movement and tracks for engaging said shoe at said extremity and. thence during backward movement for holding the shafts against revolution and the tines in position substantially perpendicular to the chain.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

HENRY A. WATKINS. JOHN C. ASKWIG. 

